9 Ways to Spend Less Time Waiting in Line at Disney

About ten years ago, simply visiting the parks during non-peak season would be enough to avoid crowds and long lines. Every year Disney adds another festival at Epcot or another room promotion to keep resorts full and the money flowing. On top of it all, in 2019, both Disneyland and Disney World will open Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. This will pull in a whole different crowd of park guests. I’m not trying to scare you! The parks are still very accessible during certain times of the year and there are a few tips I can give to make the most out of your Disney experience.

FastPass: If you’re staying onsite at one of the Disney hotels, you can schedule your FastPasses 60 days in advance. If you’re staying offsite, you can book 30 days in advance. I highly recommend using this to your advantage. Especially if you want to try the new Pandora rides at Animal Kingdom. Plan which rides you’d like to schedule for each of your days and get up early on your 60-day mark. If the reservations are all snatched up, try again later. A lot of people luck out the week before their vacations due to people changing their reservations. Disneyland has a similar system available on the app called the MaxPass, which costs $10 per person, per day. The free version will require you to physically go to the FastPass kiosk and print out a ticket.

Single Riders Line:If you don’t mind splitting up your party, you can head to the single rider queue and cut most of the line. The Single Rider Line is meant to fill in the empty seats in a ride vehicle due to an odd number of riders. You may get lucky and be seated with one of your party members, but you will most likely be with other guests. You can find most Single Rider Lines located right next to the regular standby line.

Extra Magic Hours and Rope Drops: Another perk of staying onsite is the fact that you have access to the Extra Magic Hours or Magic Mornings. This is when you can enter a park one hour or early or stay an hour late. If the park is not offering an early morning, getting there right when the park opens also helps. Bolt for the rides that usually have the longest lines like Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom and Seven Dwarfs Mine at Magic Kingdom.

Dining Reservations: Try your best to make reservations for table service restaurants at Disney World. It can be challenging making same-day reservations at popular restaurants. For onsite guests, reservations become available 190 days before your first vacation day. For offsite, 180 days in advance. If you can’t get your desired restaurants at the 180-day mark when reservations are open, try at 60 days when people start to schedule their FastPasses. If you can’t get your reservation, check 1-2 weeks before your vacation begins. Since there is a cancellation fee of $10 per person, guests have more of an incentive to remove their dining reservations if they don’t plan on attending. It’s a much different scene at Disneyland, I was able to make a same-day reservation at Napa Rose, the nicest restaurant the park has to offer. That said, I still suggest making an Advance Dining Reservation if there is a restaurant you don’t want to miss. ADR’s are available 60 days in advance for onsite guests only.

Mobile Meal Orders: The My Disney Experience app contains all of your dining, FastPass, and resort reservations, and now allows you to pre-order from many locations around Disney World. Pre-ordering your meal will lessen your wait time considerably. Order during the lunch rush and grab a table. See all of the restaurants offering mobile ordering at Disney World here and Disneyland here.

Character Breakfasts: Meet n’ Greet lines for characters can be up to an hour long, especially at Disney World. If you’re interested in meeting some characters, booking a character dining experience is the best way to go. For some restaurants, it can also create a more intimate experience. As a former friend of some of the characters, I’ve experienced some extremely slow mornings at Hollywood & Vine at Hollywood Studios where the characters spent a lot of time with each family. Crystal Palace, however, is fast-paced and you’ll likely only a get quick shot and autograph. The characters only have about an hour to see each table, so please be patient with them. They’re doing their best!

Rides After the Last Firework Show: Once the first shows are over, a good chunk of the crowd will leave the parks. Families tend to rush out of the park after the last firework show, creating massive lines at the bus stations and trams. If you’re a night owl, plan on getting their late in the day so you have the energy to stay late, ride more rides, and have an easier time getting home.

Ride Attractions Right at Closing Time: If you’re in line before the park closes, they will not kick you out of line. Meaning, if a ride like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train has a 20-minute wait and the park closes at midnight, you can get in the queue at that time and stay in line past close.

Avoid the Summer: During the summer, the lines are much longer and the heat is oppressive. My favorite time to go is September through the beginning of October and the first two weeks of November. Most kids are in school and the weather is still nice.

Bonus: Use a Minnie Van or Ride Share: The new Minnie Van taxi service powered by Lyft picks you up at your resort and takes you anywhere on property for $20. Seeing as parking costs $20, I’d say this is an ok deal. It drops you off at the front of the Magic Kingdom, so you don’t have to wait for the monorail or ferry. It also provides two car seats for families. If you’re not staying on property, you can order a regular Lyft. Here’s a link to the app for $5 off your first ride!

The big tip here is to try and plan ahead of time. This will help you feel organized. On the other hand, don’t get stressed if everything doesn’t go precisely to plan. Take the day as it comes. There might be a time when you can’t make it to your next FastPass due to Disney transportation or ride breakdowns, but don’t stress about it. Remember to breathe through these mishaps and remind yourself that you’re on an awesome Disney vacation with your loved ones. You can read my other post about how to Alleviate Stress at Disney for more tips on how to improve the quality of your vacation.

P.S. If you need more advise regarding Disney Parks head over to my fellow travel blogger’s website, The Quirky Globetrotter. Check out her guide that will help save you more time and less stress at Disney: The Biggest Mistakes People Make at Disney World.

Welcome!

Kylee Gano

I'm Kylee Gano - a former Cast Member and professional Disney Travel Planner. My mission is to provide stress-free vacations for the young-at-heart. If you need the help of a Travel Agent, feel free to reach out! Otherwise, peruse my blog for planning advice, tips, and activities that will add a little whimsy to your next Disney vacation. Read More…